[j-nsp] SRX for access/core routing/MPLS duties?

[Tore Anderson]

* TCIS List Acct

> I've been reading past threads on the SRX line with interest.  It seems
> this box can do many of the things we are looking for (at a low price
> point), which include:
> 
> - MPLS
> - IPv4 routing (OSPF, BGP)
> - Runs JunOS
> - Could be used at the access layer
> - Future IPv6 support
> - If required, could be used as an edge device holding a full IPv4 table
> (at least, the SRX650 and above)
> 
> Can anyone comment on experiences with these devices, such as:
> 
> - Wire rate?  yea/nay?
> - Anyone ever tried to use one as an edge router w/a full BGP feed?
> - MPLS -- mainly EoMPLS type stuff, esp. at the access layer
> - Stability (we understand that this is highly specific to the JunOS
> release)

Hello,

I don't have any first-hand experience with the SRX but if you read back
in the archives of this list there's lots of messages saying it's
basically unusable because of lots of bugs and stability issues, and
even disregarding that there's the issue about it operating in flow-mode
with also is a big problem if you want to use it as a standard router
(as opposed to a security device/firewall).  I'm sure others will chime
in on these issues though.

However I do have first-hand experience of buying Juniper products with
«future IPv6 support».  I would NOT trust Juniper to deliver on that
promise in an honest manner if I were you.  I did, and while the JUNOS
support arrived shortly after my purchase, it required an «advanced
feature licence» with a hefty price tag (which they had neglected to
mention).  Juniper will tell you they have IPv4/IPv6 feature parity in
their licenses (<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXMMBrWRnvc#t=63m40s>
for instance), but it is simply not true.  So unless you can hold off
your purchase until you can support the support is definitively there in
the base licence, be very careful.

Best regards,
-- 
Tore Anderson
Redpill Linpro AS - http://www.redpill-linpro.com/
Tel: +47 21 54 41 27